A police official says the gunman holding at least five hostages in a kosher market in eastern Paris has threatened to kill them if police launch an assault on the cornered brothers suspected in the newspaper massacre earlier this week.

The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the dual hostage situations, described the events as “clearly linked.”

The official said several people had been wounded when the gunman opened fire in the market Friday afternoon and were able to flee and get medical care.

It was not clear whether there were other wounded inside the market, or whether the woman listed as the gunman’s accomplice in a police bulletin was inside with him.

(AP)